Latch actuating means



Filed July 9, 1963 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,200,623 LATCH ACTUATING MEANS Theodore F. Peters, Utica, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 9, 1963, Ser. No. 293,608 3 Claims. (Cl. 70-279) This invention relates to latch actuating means and more particularly to latch actuating means for a vehicle body closure latch.

It has become general practice to provide vehicle body closure latches with actuators which are normally locked and are operable to actuate the latch only through the use of a key. The requirement of a key, of course, prevents unauthorized access, but is often undesirable in that it inconveniences those authorized persons who require repeated access to the body through the closure. Actuators have also been provided which must be initially un locked by a key but thereafter, allow repeated actuation of the latch by a handle or the like until the key is again used to lock the actuator. This type of actuator has the undesirable feature of permitting the user to inadvertently leave the actuator in unlocked condition.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide latch actuating means which are normally key operated but which may also be conditioned for operation without a key by the existence of some authorized condition of the vehicle. Another object of this invention is to provide vehicle body latch actuating means which are normally key controlled but which may be conditioned for operation without requiring the use of a key by the presence of the ignition key in the vehicle'ignition lock cylinder. It is a further object of this invention to provide a vehicle body closure latch with power-operated release means and control means for the release means including series connected switch means associated with the vehicle ignition lock cylinder and with the closure. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vehicle body closure latch with power-operated release means and control means for the release means including rotatable and shiftable actuating means, with the actuating means being rotatable by use of a key to release the latch and being shiftable without the use of a key to actuate the control means and operate the release means.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body including a closure latch and embodying latch actuating means according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line' 2-2 of FIGURE 1 including a schematic representation of the control means for the latch actuating means;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of a portion of FIG- URE 2 taken generally along the plane indicated by line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a vehicle body includes a deck lid or closure 12 swingably mounted on the body adjacent its forward edge by suitable hinge means for movement between open and closed positions, and a deck lid latch 14 for holding the deck lid in closed position. Latch 14 is of conventional construction and generally includes, as indicated in FIG- URE 2, a pivoted hooked end bolt 16 adapted to hook over a bar striker 18 on the body when the bolt is in latched position, a pivoted detent lever 20 for holding bolt 16 in latched position, a spring 21 urging the detent 3,200,623 Patented Aug. 17, 1965 ice into holding position, and a rollback or release member 22 for moving the detent out of engagement with the bolt to permit the bolt to move to unlatched position. Reference may be had to Patent No. 2,886,365 issued to R. M. Fox et al. on May 12, 1959, for a more complete description of this type of deck lid latch.

A push button or actuating member 24 is slidably and rotatably mounted on deck lid 12 by a casing 26 secured to the outer panel of the deck lid, and by a guide member 28 secured to a channel bracket 30 mounted on the deck lid outer panel. A spring 32 seats between an annular flange of guide member 28 and an annular collar 34 on the push button to bias the push button to an extended inoperative position.

A lock is provided within push button 24 having a radially projecting locking element 35 normally engaging within an axially extending slot in casing 26 for preventing rotation of the push button relative to the casing. The lock is not shown in detail since it is of conventional construction. Insertion of a suitable key 36 will withdraw the locking element from the casing slot for manual rotation by the key of the push button relative to the easing 26. However, no resistance is olfered between the locking element and the casing groove to sliding movement of the push button relative to the casing.

Push button 24 includes an inwardly extending square shaft 38 slidably and nonrotatably received within a complementary bore 39 of an annular coupling member 40. Member 40 is journaled within an annular outer end portion 42 of a transmission shaft 43 which is nonrotatably mounted within the rollback 22 of latch 14. Bore 39 is of sufficient depth to accommodate inward movement of shaft 38 upon depression of push button 24.

As best shown in FIGURE 4, member 40 includes a pair of radially extending pins 44 received within a pair of notches 46 provided in member 42. As is conventional in the type of latch shown herein, the detent locating spring 21 acts through the detent lever to locate the rollback 22 in a normal inoperative position. Shaft 43 is in turn located in a normal inoperative position as shown in FIGURE 4, wherein pin 44 engages one edge of a respective notch 46.

To manually release latch 14, key 36 is inserted within push button 24 to withdraw locking element 35 from casing 26. The key is then turned to rotate push button 24 and shaft 38 counterclockwise, FIGURE 4, so that pins 44 rotate shaft 43 and rollback 22 to release bolt 16 from striker I8.

Auxiliary power-operated means are also provided to release latch 14. As shown in FIGURE 2, a solenoid 48 is mounted on an inner panel of deck lid 12 and includes an armature 50 which moves inwardly of the solenoid upon energization thereof. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, armature Stl is connected to a crank 52 on the inner end of shaft 43 by a pin 54 received within an annular slot 56 of the crank. When solenoid 48 is not energized, pin 54 is located at one end of the slot, as shown, so that the pin will idle in the slot during the rotation of shaft 43 by the push button, as previously described, to release the latch. Likewise, clockwise rotation of shaft 43 by solenoid 48 may be effected without movement of the push button since pins 44 are free to idle in notches 46, FIGURE 4.

The control circuit for selectively energizing solenoid 48 includes an electrical power source or battery 60, a first electrical control switch 62 associated with a conventional vehicle ignition lock cylinder 64, and a second electrical control switch 66 associated with push button 24. Switch 66 has one terminal thereof connected to the positive side of battery 60 and to a movable contact 68. A nonconductive nose '70 on collar 34 of push button 24 engages contact 68 when the push button is in the locked position of FIGURE 2, and is adapted to move contact 68 into engagement with a stationary contact 72 upon inward sliding movement of the push button. Contact 72 is connected to one terminal of solenoid 48, the other terminal of which is connected to a movable contact '74 of switch 62. The casing of lock Cylinder 6-scontacts the grounded vehicle body and provides the other terminal or contact for switch 62. Contact 74 is normally held out of engagement with the lock cylinder casing by an extension '76 of the conventional side locking bar of the cylinder. Closing of switch 62 to ground is effected by the withdrawal of the side bar, upon insertion of the ignition key. Reference may be had to Patent No. 2,949,762 issued August 23, 1960, to T. H. Johnstone for a description of a suitable lock cylinder having an inwardly withdrawing side bar.

As previously set forth, latch 14 may normally be released by key rotation of push button 24. Where repeated access is required within a short period of time, and it is desired to avoid the inconvenience of constant key rotation of push button 24, it is only necessary that the ignition key be inserted or left in ignition lock cylinder 64 to close switch 62 to ground. The operator may then repeatedly open and close deck lid 12 without the use of a key by merely depressing push button 24. When the ignition key is removed from the ignition lock cylinder, depression of push button 24 is ineifective to release latch 14, and the key 36 must be used instead.

It is to be understood that modifiications may be made to the embodiment herein described within the spirit and scope of the invention. I

Thus new and improved latch actuating means are provided.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle including a body and a body closure latch having a latch release member, latch actuating means, comprising, in combination, an actuating member, means mounting said actuating member on said body for rotation and bodily movement relative thereto, means interconnecting said actuating member and said release member for actuating said release member upon rotation of said actuating member, motor means, means interconnecting said motor means and said release member for actuating said release member upon operation of said mot-or means, first key-operated control means for conditioning said vehicle for operation, and second control means operated by bodily movement of said actuating member, a source of power, and control circuit means connecting said first and second control means and said motor means across said source of power, said motor means being energized by said source of power upon key-operation of said first 4 control means and operation of said second control means by bodily movement of said actuating member.

2; In a vehicle including a body and a body closure latch having a latch release member, latch actuating means, comprising, in combination, an actuating member, means mounting said actuating member on said body for otation and bodily movement relative thereto, means interconnecting said actuating member and said latch release member to actuate said latch release member upon rotation of said actuating member, an electric motor, means interconnecting s-aid motor and said release member for actuating said release member upon operation of said motor, vehicle ignition control means adapted to be conditioned for operation by insertion of a key therein, first switch means adapted to be closed by insertion of said key in said ignition control means, and second switch means adapted to be closed upon bodily movement of said actuating member independently of rotation thereof, a source of power, and an electrical control circuit connecting said first and second switch means and said motor in series across said source of power, said motor being energized upon closing of said first and second switch means.

3. In a vehicle including a'body and a body closure latch having a latch release member, latch actuating means, comprising, in combination, an actuating member, means mounting said actuating member on said body for combined r-otatable and bodily movement relative thereto, means operably connecting said actuating member and said release member for actuating said release member upon movement of said actuating member in one of said modes of movement thereof, power-operated means, means operably connecting said power-operated means and said release member for actuating said release member upon operation of said power-operated means, first authorized control means, and second control means operated by movement of said actuating member in the other mode of movement thereof, a source of power, and control circuit means connecting said firs-t and said second control means and said power-operated means across said source of power, said power-operated means being operated by said source of power uponauthorized operation of said first control means and operation of said second control means by movement of said actuating member in said other mode of movement thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,165,542 12/15 Schner-re 70282 1,807,033 5/31 Hansen 70282 X 1,995,889 3/35 Landry 70-282 X 2,123,507 7/38 Jacobi 70-277 X ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner. 

3. IN A VEHICLE INCLUDING A BODY AND A BODY CLOSURE LATCH HAVING A LATCH RELEASE MEMBER, LATCH ACTUATING MEANS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ACTUATING MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID ACTUATING MEMBER ON SAID BODY FOR COMBINED ROTATABLE AND BODILY MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTING SAID ACTUATING MEMBER AND SAID RELEASE MEMBER FOR ACTUATING SAID RELEASE MEMBER UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IN ONE OF SAID MODES OF MOVEMENT THEREOF, POWER-OPERATED MEANS, MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTING SAID POWER-OPERATED MEANS AND SAID RELEASE MEMBER FOR ACTUATING SAID RELEASE MEMBER UPON OPERATION OF SAID POWER-OPERATED MEANS, FIRST AUTHORIZED CONTROL MEANS, AND SECOND CONTROL MEANS OPERATED BY MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IN THE OTHER MODE OF MOVEMENT THEREOF, A SOURCE OF POWER, AND CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND CONTROL MEANS AND SAID POWER-OPERATED MEANS ACROSS SAID SOURCE OF POWER, SAID POWER-OPERATED MEANS BEING OPERATED BY SAID SOURCE OF POWER UPON AUTHORIZED OPERATION OF SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS AND OPERATION OF SAID SECOND CONTROL MEANS BY MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IN SAID OTHER MODE OF MOVEMENT THEREOF. 